Handheld mechanical soft-surface remediation (SSR) device and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A handheld mechanical soft-surface remediation (SSR) device and method of dislodging, displacing, and disposing of particulates from surfaces and performing disinfection and/or freshening is disclosed. The device is preferably lightweight, easy-to-use and includes a fan assembly, filter assembly, flapper assembly, battery assembly, and chemical delivery system. Performing soft-surface remediation with the mechanical SSR device includes the steps of retrieving the device from storage, installing the consumables into the device, activating the device, performing the cleaning operation, deactivating the device, removing the consumables from device, preparing the device for the next use, storing the device and, optionally, recharging the batteries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for soft-surfaceremediation (SSR). In particular, this invention relates to a handheldmechanical SSR device for dislodging, displacing, and disposing ofparticulates from soft-surfaces and for performing disinfection and/orfreshening.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Indoor air is a very good transport mechanism for airborne particles orcontaminants, such as dust and allergens. Dust is generallycharacterized as including, for example, soot, pet dander, skin flakes,carpet fibers, dust mite feces, hair, and lint. Allergens are generallycharacterized as including, for example, dust mites, pet dander,mold/mildew, pollen, and germs/bacteria. For energy efficiency reasons,modern homes are constructed to be as air-tight as possible, which hasthe adverse effect of creating an environment of poor indoor airquality, because it takes a significant amount of time to circulate airinto and out of a room. Consequently, airborne contaminants remaincirculating in the air and, over time, may land on hard and softsurfaces in the home. Hard surfaces are, for example, floors, countertops, and the wooden, metal, or glass components of furniture. Bycontrast, soft surfaces are, for example, upholstery, carpets,mattresses, and drapes.

Soft surfaces are typically formed by a number of strands of thread orfiber that are woven together in a specific pattern to form a thicksurface. Alternatively, the fiber may be in the form of a thin,non-woven mesh. However, most furniture upholstery is of the woven type.Airborne particles become lodged in between the weave of the fibers andonto the fibers themselves. A common structure of upholstered furnitureis outer woven fabric atop a thin layer of batting material, which isatop a thick inner foam that provides firmness for, for example,supporting a person's weight. The vast majority of contaminants residewithin the weave of the surface fabric or on the batting material of theupholstered item. The surface of the outer woven fabric becomes acollection area for crumbs, hair, dust, lint, and stains. In particular,hair, dust, lint, and dust mite feces become lodged between the surfacefabric weave. The batting material becomes a repository for hair, dustmites, dust mite feces, and mold/mildew spores. Finally, mold/mildewspores, bacteria, and germs are commonly found on the surface of theinner foam.

Technical challenges exist with regard to SSR, which as used herein isany treatment to relieve, prevent, or cure the adverse effects ofcontaminants that collect thereon. There are generally four componentsof soft-surface remediation that may be defined as follows: (1)dislodging, which is the act of freeing dust, dirt, hair, etc., from ornear the surface, (2) displacing, which is the act of moving dust, dirt,hair, etc., to a containment mechanism after it has been dislodged, (3)disposing, which is the act of capturing the contaminants via acontainment mechanism, and (4) disinfecting/freshening, which is the actof applying a treatment to control dust mites, bacteria, mold, etc. or,alternatively, to remove odors or otherwise improve the scent orperceived “freshness” of the soft surface.

A vacuum cleaner is a well-known household item used for cleaning. Atypical vacuum cleaner consists of a suction fan driven by a motor and asuction nozzle with a rotating brush that has a beating effect (fordislodging) on the surface to be cleaned, such as a carpet. Vacuumcleaners exist in various forms, such as a canister type or upright typeof design. Both types of vacuum cleaners have considerable weight andare, therefore, cumbersome to use. Additionally, typical canister orupright vacuum cleaners are corded, which limits their easyaccessibility to some areas of the home. In particular, standard vacuumcleaners are too cumbersome for use on soft surfaces, such as furnitureupholstery, mattresses, and drapes. Furthermore, the mechanicaldislodging mechanism of standard vacuum cleaners are destructive thefabric itself.

Alternatively, handheld portable vacuum cleaners exist in the markettoday, such as the DustBuster® handheld vacuum manufactured by Black &Decker (Towson, Md.). However, handheld portable vacuum cleaners do notinclude a dislodging mechanism; they use vacuum power only.Consequently, handheld portable vacuum cleaners are not powerful enoughto clean to any sufficient depth and, thus, only the surface is cleaned.In particular, handheld portable vacuum cleaners are not effective inremoving hair, as hair is difficult to remove, because of the staticcling to fabrics and the entanglement into the weave of the fabricitself. What is needed is a handheld SSR device that has a dislodgingmechanism for effectively performing soft-surface remediation, but in anon-destructive manner. Additionally, handheld portable vacuum cleanershave a small opening, so the user must operate the device slowly overthe surface to be cleaned, in order for it to work effectively.Furthermore, what is needed is a handheld mechanical apparatus that hasa large pickup area, in order to reduce the cleaning time.

A chemical, e.g., a cleaner, or another ingredient is sometimes desiredfor freshening, disinfection, or for assisting in the removal ofcontaminants from a soft surface. It is difficult to introduce chemistryto the surface to be cleaned by use of a standard vacuum cleaner or ahandheld portable vacuum cleaner, as neither includes a chemicaldelivery system. The consumer must, therefore, resort to a separatedevice for applying a chemical or fluid, which means that the consumeris spending additional time performing separate cleaning, freshening,and disinfecting operations. What is needed is a more effective andefficient way to introduce a fluid or other material onto a soft surfaceby use of a low-powered, light-weight, handheld mechanical apparatusand, therefore, reduce the overall time for performing cleaning,freshening, and disinfecting operations.

As a preventative measure, frequent touchup cleaning is beneficial tosoft surfaces for delaying more involved and destructive deep-cleaningevents. Generally, upholstery does not get as dirty when frequenttouchups are performed, as compared with relying on occasional deepcleaning. However, consumers tend not to do touchup cleaning, becauseexisting soft-surface touchup cleaning approaches are not veryeffective. Deep cleaning is effective, but very laborious and requirespowerful tools, chemistry, and energy. Furthermore, the more effectivethe deep-cleaning event, the more damaging it is to the soft surface.What is needed is an easy-to-use, convenient mechanism for performingtouchup cleaning that encourages frequent use and, thus, minimizes theneed for deep-cleaning events.

The disclosures of all of the below-referenced prior United Statespatents, and applications, in their entireties are hereby expresslyincorporated by reference into the present application for purposesincluding, but not limited to, indicating the background of the presentinvention and illustrating the state of the art.

U.S. Patent Application No. 20040172769, “Method and apparatus forcleaning fabrics, floor coverings, and bare floor surfaces utilizing asoil transfer cleaning medium,” invented by Daniel G. Giddings (Holland,Mich.), Frederick A. Hekman (Holland, Mich.), Richard W. Wellens(Plymouth, Minn.), and Larry D. Wydra (Plymouth, Minn.), describes anapparatus and method for cleaning fabrics, floor coverings, and barefloor surfaces utilizing a soil transfer cleaning medium. A method ofmechanically removing soil from a surface intended to be cleanedincludes the steps of successively and repeatedly: wetting a portion ofa cleaning medium with a cleaning liquid; extracting any soil and atleast some of the cleaning liquid from the previously wetted portion ofthe cleaning medium; and wiping the surface intended to be cleaned withthe portion of the cleaning medium so as to transfer soil from thesurface intended to be cleaned to the cleaning medium. Portable andvehicle-based devices may be utilized to practice the method ofcleaning.

U.S. Patent Application No. 20020104184, “Portable vacuum cleaningapparatus,” invented by Alma L. Rogers (Stockridge, Ga.) and DietrichHoecht (Loganville, Ga.), describes a portable vacuum cleaning apparatusintended to be carried either on a single shoulder or worn backpackstyle, wherein the vacuum cleaner has an extensible tube and nozzlearrangement that may be held substantially fully enclosed in the vacuumcleaner case, wherein the hose or wand may be collapsed when not in useto prevent entanglement, or may be incrementally extended and secured ina desired position for use. Additional advantages of the presentinvention include a suspension arrangement for flexibly suspending theinternal components of the vacuum and for providing a moment tocounteract the force and movement of the wand.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,166, “Apparatus for cleaning a surface,” assigned toArt Center College of Design (Pasadena, Calif.), describes an apparatusfor efficiently cleaning stains and extracting cleaning fluid fromsurfaces such as carpets and upholstery without requiring electricalpower is presented. The invention eliminates the inconvenience ofretrieving, filling with cleaning fluid, and plugging a deep cleanerinto an electrical outlet in order to remove a small spot from a carpet.In addition to the scrubbing and fluid extracting capabilities,embodiments of the invention include a sprayer for applying cleaningfluid to stains. The sprayer may receive fluid from an attachedrefillable reservoir of cleaning solution, for example. Duringscrubbing, the top of a pump actuator provides a resting place for theheel of a user's palm. The pump actuator may be locked down whenscrubbing and unlocked for pumping to suck up fluid. A piston in achamber provides the suction force for pulling fluid up through tubules,which may be interspersed between bristle tufts, past check valves andinto a waste reservoir. A downward force on the piston provides thesuction thereby assuring that the tubules are in contact with thesurface during suction. The waste reservoir may be dumped via a plug inthe waste reservoir.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,953, “Vacuum cleaner,” assigned to AktiebolagetElectrolux (Stockholm, SE), describes vacuum cleaner including a unit,comprising an electric motor and an associated suction fan, and asuction nozzle (36) connected to the inlet side of the unit via a dustseparating device (15), either directly or via a connectable rigidconduit (13). The vacuum cleaner comprises a handheld unit (10) whichwhen not in use is arranged to be positioned on a stationary storageunit (11), said handheld unit (10) incorporating the said unit and thedust separating device (15) and being provided with a coupling means(12) for connecting of the rigid conduit (13). For power supplypurposes, by means of an extensible flex (26), the handheld unit (10) isconnected to the storage unit (11) which via an additional flex (39) isconnectable to a mains outlet.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,122, “Corded handheld vacuum cleaner,” assigned toElectrolux Corporation (Atlanta, Ga.), describes a handheld vacuumcleaner that has a motor mounted with the rotational axis of its shaftparallel to the rotational axis of the rotating brush. The vacuumcleaner motor has an end bell, which is attached to the motor stator,and which holds a motor shaft bearing. The end bell is secured to thevacuum housing with an elastomeric mounting ring to dampen motorvibrations. The need for most motor mounting hardware is eliminated,because the housing supports the motor stator directly. The intakeorifice of the vacuum is shaped to lie in two distinct planes, so thatflat cleaning surfaces do not obstruct the orifice. The shape of theintake also allows one to clean immediately adjacent to a vertical wall.

World Intellectual Property Organization Application No. WO8301734,“Dust remover for removing dust, hair, or other loose particles fromobjects such as clothes, textiles, furniture, etc.,” describes a dustremover for removing dust, hair or other loose particles from thesurface of objects such as clothes, textiles, furniture etc comprising asubstantially cylindrical roller (1) which is rotatably supported on aholder, the peripheral surface of said roller being provided with anadhesive layer (6) for removing said dust particles etc by adhesion whenthe roller (1) is brought into rolling contact with the surface of theobject to be cleaned. The dust remover comprises a divided casing, thecasing parts (7, 11) being movable in relation to each other by relativerotational movement between a position in which the casing parts (7, 11)completely enclose the roller (1), and a position in which the roller(1) is partly exposed for enabling rolling contact with the object to becleaned. The casing parts (7, 11) are arranged for relative rotationalmovement about an axis that is parallel to, and preferably coaxial withthe rotational axis of the roller (1).

Also incorporated by reference herein is the disclosure contained inU.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,438 entitled “SOFT-SURFACE REMEDIATIONDEVICE AND METHOD OF USING SAME” and assigned to S.C. Johnson & Sons,Inc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aspect of the invention to provide a handheld SSRdevice that has a dislodging mechanism for effectively performingsoft-surface remediation in a non-destructive manner.

It is another aspect of this invention to provide a low-powered,light-weight, handheld mechanical SSR device that has a large pickuparea, in order to reduce the cleaning time.

It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a more effectiveand efficient way to introduce a chemistry, fluid or cleaner onto a softsurface by use of a low-powered, light-weight, handheld mechanical SSRdevice.

It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a low-powered,light-weight, handheld mechanical SSR device having a slappingmechanism, a dispenser, and a filter that reduces the time required forcleaning, freshening, and disinfecting soft surfaces.

It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide an easy-to-use,convenient mechanism that encourages consumers to perform touchupcleaning events more frequently.

Various consumables may aid the device of the present invention in thispurpose, for example, disposable filters, scrubbing members, cleaningheads, and various other cleaning materials or fluids. For example,compositions for refreshing fabrics, stain removal and antibacterialcontrol may also be provided.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be betterappreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings. It should beunderstood, however, that the following description, while indicatingpreferred embodiments of the present invention, is given by way ofillustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications maybe made within the scope of the present invention without departing fromthe spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A clear conception of the advantages and features constituting thepresent invention, and of the construction and operation of typicalmechanisms provided with the present invention, will become more readilyapparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting,embodiments illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a partof this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate thesame elements in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of the internal elements of amechanical SSR device in accordance with a first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of the mechanical SSR device of thefirst embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1C illustrates a bottom view of the mechanical SSR device of thefirst embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of performing soft-surfaceremediation by use of the mechanical SSR device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of the internal elements of amechanical SSR device in accordance with a second embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the mechanical SSR device of thesecond embodiment of the invention.

In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention that isillustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted tofor the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the inventionbe limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understoodthat each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operatein a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, theword connected or terms similar thereto are often used. They are notlimited to direct connection but include connection through otherelements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent bythose skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention and the various features and advantageous detailsthereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limitingembodiments described in detail in the following description.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “cleaning” or “cleaned” isbroadly expanded to include operations associated with soft-surfaceremediation (SSR). The materials used for further cleaning may includecleaning chemicals, odor eliminators, stain removal, fabric protectors,fresheners, and disinfectants all of which may be in the form ofliquids, gases, solids, gels, substrates and/or powders or combinationsthereof.

1. System Overview

The present invention is a handheld mechanical SSR device for, andmethod of, dislodging, displacing, and disposing of particulates fromsoft surfaces, such as upholstery. The handheld mechanical SSR device ofthe present invention effectively performs soft-surface remediation in anon-destructive manner, is low-powered and light-weight, has as largepickup area for providing a faster cleaning operation, provides achemical delivery mechanism for freshening, disinfection, or assistingin the removal of contaminants, and provides an easy-to-use, convenientmechanism that encourages consumers to perform touchup cleaning eventsmore frequently. For the purposes of this disclosure the term “cleaning”or “cleaned” is broadly expanded to include operations associated withSSR.

2. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of the internal elements of amechanical SSR device 100 in accordance with a first embodiment of theinvention. Preferably, mechanical SSR device 100 includes a fan assembly110, a filter assembly 112, a flapper assembly 114, and a batteryassembly 116.

In this embodiment, fan assembly 110 further preferably includes a fanmotor 120, which is a standard 5 to 24 volt DC motor or 120 Volt ACmotor capable of 1000 to 30000 rotations per minute (RPMs) and a fanblade 122, which is a standard lightweight fan blade formed of, forexample, molded plastic. Fan motor 120 may be either a single-speed ormulti-speed AC or DC motor. An example of fan motor 120 is Mabuchi MotorRS-540SH/SF-5045. Fan assembly 110 is preferably capable of developing asuction pressure of −0.15 to −0.66 pounds per square inch (PSI).However, other fans with similar characteristics are contemplated.

Filter assembly 112 further includes a filter 130 and a collection tray132. Filter 130 is a consumable non-woven filter or electrostatic clothpositioned in close proximity to fan blade 122. Filter 130 can be astandard high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or a high airflowfilter (HAF) filter available from 3M. Collection tray 132 is positionedat the lower region of filter 130, in order to capture large or heavyparticles that will not lodge within filter 130 because the suctionforce is limited. Additionally, when fan motor 120 is turned off and thesuction stops, some particles will drop from filter 130 and intocollection tray 132. Filter 130 and collection tray 132 are mechanicallyintegrated such that both may be easily accessed by the user, in orderto remove and replace filter 130 and for emptying collection tray 132.In another embodiment, the filter and the collection tray may beincorporated into the same device. This device may be disposable.

Flapper assembly 114 is preferably a mechanical, surface-slappingmechanism. The assembly 114 preferably includes a set of slappers orflappers 140, such as a flapper 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c, as shown inFIG. 1A, that are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart, inorder to ensure a small air gap therebetween. Flappers 140 a, 140 b, and140 c are preferably formed of rigid lightweight material, such asspring steel, and include a plurality of holes 142. Alternatively, eachflapper 140 is a solid piece of material that has no holes 142. In oneembodiment, flappers may have a sticky surface or tape on them forcatching debris that is freed from the soft surface. Such a tape may beremovable and disposed of after capturing debris. This consumablematerial will need to be replaced before a new cleaning project isstarted. In another embodiment, protrusions may be added to the flapperseither on the tape materials or on the flapper.

Flappers 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c are attached at one end to aspring-loaded hinge 112, which is mechanically attached in closeproximity to filter assembly 114. Spring-loaded hinge 144 provides apivot point for flappers 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c. Spring-loaded hinge144 also provides an appropriate spring force.

Flapper assembly 114 further includes a set of disks 146 that arearranged along a shaft 148. Disks 146 are oriented orthogonal toflappers 140 and are mechanically coupled to flappers 140 via a set ofarms 150. More specifically, a disk 146 a is mechanically coupled toflapper 140 a via an arm 150 a, a disk 146 b is mechanically coupled toflapper 140 b via an arm 150 b, and a disk 146 c is mechanically coupledto flapper 140 c via an arm 150 c. A standard pulley 152 that is mountedat one end of shaft 148 is driven by a flapper motor 154 via a standardbelt 156. Spring-loaded hinge 144, disks 146, shaft 148, arms 150, andpulley 152 are formed of a rigid lightweight material, such as moldedplastic or aluminum.

Flapper motor 154 is preferably a standard 5 to 24 volt DC motor or a120 volt AC motor capable of 1000 to 30000 RPMs. Flapper motor 154 maybe either a single-speed or a multi-speed DC motor. An example flappermotor 154 is a Johnson Electric HC613G, however, there are a wide rangeof suitable motors available. When activated, flapper motor 154 impartsrotational motion to shaft 148 and, subsequently, to disks 146.

Each disk 146 has one or more notches 158, into which a curved end ofits respective arm 150 is alternately engaged and disengaged as eachdisk 146 rotates. In one example, disk 146 a and disk 146 c are mountedon shaft 148 such that their notches 158 are in alignment one toanother, while disk 146 b is mounted on shaft 148 such that its notches158 are 90 degrees out of phase with those of disk 146 a and disk 146 c.However, disk 146 a, 146 b, and 146 c may be mounted with their notches158 in any user-desired orientation.

If the embodiment is battery powered, the battery assembly 116preferably further includes a plurality of batteries 160, which arestandard rechargeable or non-rechargeable 1.5 to 9 volt batteries thatare electrically connected in series to provide a DC voltage source of 5to 24 volts to fan motor 120 and flapper motor 152. Alternatively, thedevice may be corded and operate via an AC voltage source.

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of mechanical SSR device 100, whichshows that mechanical SSR device 100 further includes a body 170 formedof a rigid lightweight material, such as molded plastic, that houses fanassembly 110, filter assembly 112, flapper assembly 114, and batteryassembly 116. Molded within body 170 is a handle 172; an opening in thatlower region of body 170 forms an inlet 174. Additionally, adisplacement chamber 176 is formed from inlet 174 of mechanical SSRdevice 100 and leads to filter 130. Displacement chamber 176 is boundedon two sides by the inner walls of body 170 and, on an upper side neardisks 146, by an airflow guide 178, which is formed of, for example,molded plastic.

FIG. 1B shows that mechanical SSR device 100 further includes a deliverysystem 180 that preferably includes a chemical supply 182, which isfluidly connected to a spray pump 184, both of which are mounted withinhandle 172. Spray pump 182 is fluidly connected to a spray nozzle 186via a tube 188. Spray nozzle 186 is mounted in the forward region ofbody 170 in close proximity to inlet 174. Chemical supply 182 isrepresentative of, for example, a consumable aerosol or liquid canisterthat contains a substance for freshening, disinfection, or assisting inthe removal of contaminants, such as the Oust® Bathroom Air Sanitizercanister manufactured by SC Johnson & Son, Inc (Racine, Wis.). Spraypump 184 is, for example, a manual pump mechanism that has a button thatmay be manipulated easily by the user's thumb as the user grasps handle172. Spray nozzle 186 is the spray outlet for directing the chemicalonto the soft surface to be cleaned. Spray nozzle 186 maximizesdispersion and creates very small particles, in order to ensure that thechemistry is properly applied onto, but does not soak, the soft surface.While a fluid cleaner is preferred, it is possible the materialdispensed may be a foam, or a powder.

With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, those skilled in the art willrecognize that standard mechanical mounting structures exist within body170 of mechanical SSR device 100 for securing fan assembly 110, filterassembly 112, flapper assembly 114, battery assembly 116, and chemicaldelivery system 180 but, for simplicity, are not shown.

FIG. 1C illustrates a bottom view of mechanical SSR device 100, whichshows the position of flappers 140 in relation to inlet 174. Inlet 174is the contaminant pickup area for cleaning a soft surface and also asthe air intake port for mechanical SSR device 100, through which air isdrawn by the action of fan assembly 110. A set of exhaust ports (notshown) are present within body 170 in close proximity to fan assembly110. An example dimension of each flapper 140 is 50 to 250 mm long, 20to 50 mm wide and 3 to 7 mm thick. Holes 142 of each flapper 140 have adiameter of 1 to 7 mm. Note these holes allow dust and dirt that areunder the flapper to flow into the body of the unit and then eventuallybe sucked into the filter. An example dimension of inlet 174 is 1×50 mm.A distance from the end of flappers 140 to the front edge of inlet 174is typically between 1 and 40 mm. The surface area of each flapper 140that extends into the area of inlet 174 is, for example, 25×100 mm.Flappers 140 are spaced apart a small distance of, for example, 3 to 10mm, in order to ensure a small air gap therebetween. Alternatively, amesh screen or wire material may be used to form the flappers, e.g., ina tennis racket-like configuration.

With reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the overall dimensions ofmechanical SSR device 100 are, for example, a length of between 20 and40 cm, a width of between 12 and 20 cm, and a height of between 9 and 15cm. Additionally, an example weight of mechanical SSR device 100 isbetween 0.9 and 2.0 kg. The overall dimensions and weight of mechanicalSSR device 100 are not limited to those stated above, so long as theyare practically suited to an ergonomically correct handheld portabledevice.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the operation ofmechanical SSR device 100 is as follows. A clean filter 130 and a fullchemical supply 182 are installed within body 170 of mechanical SSRdevice 100. Mechanical SSR device 100 is activated by a standard on/offswitch (not shown) that makes an electrical connection between theoutput voltage of battery assembly 116, fan motor 120, and flapper motor154. As a result, fan blade 122 rotates and creates a flow of air ofbetween 25 and 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM), by drawing air into inlet174 in body 170, through displacement chamber 176, through filter 130,past fan assembly 110, and exiting the air through the exhaust ports atthe rear of body 170. At the same time, flapper motor 154 impartsrotational motion to shaft 148 via pulley 152 and belt 156.Consequently, disks 146 a, 146 b, and 146 c are rotating, which causesone end of flappers 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c, respectively, to slap upand down. More specifically, and using flapper 140 a as an example, asdisk 146 a rotates, the curved end of arm 150 a is alternately engagedand disengaged from one or more notches 158. When the curved end of arm150 a is engaged within a notch 158, it is lifted upward momentarily,which causes the end of flapper 140 a that is attached to arm 150 a alsoto lift upward momentarily. In doing so, flapper 140 a pivots upward atan angle away from the plane of inlet 174, with spring-loaded hinge 144as the pivot point. As disk 146 a continues to rotate, the curved end ofarm 150 a disengages eventually from within a notch 158, which causesarm 150 a and flapper 140 a to return to alignment with the plane ofinlet 174, because of the action of spring-loaded hinge 144 and gravity.In doing so, flapper 140 a slaps against the soft surface to be cleanedand dislodges particles of contaminants within its fibers in anon-destructive manner. This lifting and releasing of flapper 140 acontinues in an alternating fashion as disk 146 a rotates. As theparticles are kicked away from the soft surface because of the action offlapper 140 a, they are caught in the airflow within displacementchamber 176 and move toward filter 130. Small particles are trappedwithin filter 130, while particles that are too heavy or too large to betrapped within filter 130 hit the surface of filter 130 and then fallinto collection tray 132. Clean filtered air then exits mechanical SSRdevice 100. Flappers 140 b and 140 c operate identically. However, theslapping action of flappers 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c may be such thatthey each make contact with the soft surface at different times.Additionally, the repetition rate of flappers 140 a, 140 b, and 140 c,which is determined by the rotational speed of shaft 148 and thediameter of disks 146, is, for example, between 1 and 10repetitions/second. As a result, particles of contaminants are dislodgedin a non-destructive manner, displaced, and then disposed of.Optionally, by use of spray pump 184, the user may activate chemicaldelivery system 180 during the use of mechanical SSR device 100 and,thereby, provide a freshening or disinfection operation, in combinationwith the removal of contaminants. Upon completion of the cleaningoperation, mechanical SSR device 100 is deactivated, filter 130 iscleaned or replaced, collection tray 132 is emptied and, if necessary,chemical supply 182 is replenished.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the implementation offlapper assembly 114 as shown and described in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C isbut one example. Any number of well-known mechanical arrangements ispossible for causing a slapping motion of a mechanical element upon thesoft surface to be cleaned and, thus, mechanical SSR device 100 is notlimited to the specific flapper assembly 114 design disclosed herein.For example, flapper assembly 114 with flappers 140 may be replaced byone or more piston mechanisms arranged orthogonally to the plane ofinlet 174. A piston mechanism is driven to impart an up and down motionto a flat paddle element that is oriented parallel to the plane of inlet174 for producing a slapping motion upon the soft surface to beremediated.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of one preferred method 200 ofperforming soft-surface remediation by use of mechanical SSR device 100of the present invention. Method 200 preferably includes first the step210 of retrieving SSR device from storage. In this step, a userretrieves mechanical SSR device 100 from its storage location (which maybe a battery recharging device). Method 200 proceeds to step 212, thestep of installing consumables into SSR device. In this step, the useropens the access mechanism for filter 130 within body 170 and installs anew or cleaned filter 130. If necessary, the user opens the accessmechanism for chemical supply 182 within handle 172 of body 170 andinstalls a new chemical supply 182. After installing filter 130 and/orchemical supply 182, the user closes all access mechanisms. Method 200proceeds to step 214, the step of activating SSR device. In this step,the user activates mechanical SSR device 100 by a standard on/off switchand, thereby, activates fan motor 120 and flapper motor 154. As aresult, fan blade 122 rotates and creates a flow of air by drawing airinto inlet 174 in body 170, through displacement chamber 176, throughfilter 130, past fan assembly 110, and out the exhaust ports at the rearof body 170. At the same time, flapper motor 154 imparts rotationalmotion to shaft 148 via pulley 152 and belt 156. Consequently, disks 146a, 146 b, and 146 c are rotating, which causes flappers 140 a, 140 b,and 140 c, respectively, to slap up and down. Method 200 proceeds tostep 216.

Step 216 is the step of performing the cleaning operation. In this step,the user grasps handle 172 and brings inlet 174 of mechanical SSR device100 into contact with a soft surface to be cleaned, such as upholstery,and, subsequently, moves inlet 174 of mechanical SSR device 100 over thesoft surface to be cleaned by using any back-and-forth or side-to-sidemotion, until the entire surface has been cleaned by the action offlapper assembly 114 and fan assembly 110. More specifically, theslapping action of flapper assembly 114 dislodges the particulates, thesuction action of fan assembly 110 displaces the particulates by theairflow moving through displacement chamber 176 and toward filter 130,and the filtering action of filter 130 captures the particulates.Optionally, by use of spray pump 184, the user may activate chemicaldelivery system 180 and, thereby, provide a freshening or disinfectionoperation, in combination with the removal of contaminants.Alternatively, chemical delivery system 180 is automatically activatedwithout direct user activation. Method 200 proceeds to step 218, thestep of deactivating SSR device. In this step, the user deactivatesmechanical SSR device 100 by a standard on/off switch, which deactivatesfan motor 120 and flapper motor 154. Method 200 proceeds to step 220.

Step 220 is the step of removing consumables from SSR device. In thisstep, the user opens the access mechanism for filter 130 within body 170and removes the dirty filter 130. If necessary, the user opens theaccess mechanism for chemical supply 182 within handle 172 of body 170and removes chemical supply 182. Method 200 proceeds to step 222. Step222 is the step of preparing SSR device for next use. In this step, theuser empties collection tray 132 and, optionally, wipes clean flappers140 with a cloth. The user then closes all access mechanisms. Next isstep 224, the step of storing SSR device. In this step, the user returnsmechanical SSR device 100 to its storage location. Method 200 may thenproceed to step 226. In this optional step, in the case in whichbatteries 160 are rechargeable batteries, the user plugs mechanical SSRdevice 100 into an associated battery recharging device. Method 200ends. Of course, these steps need to not be preformed in the order inwhich they appear above. Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate some steps need not be present at all and other stepsmay be added.

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of the internal elements of amechanical SSR device 300 in accordance with a second embodiment of theinvention. Mechanical SSR device 300 includes fan assembly 110, flapperassembly 114, and battery assembly 116, as described in reference toFIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C. However, instead of including filter assembly 112positioned near fan assembly 110, mechanical SSR device 300 includes afilter 310 in an alternative position relative to flapper assembly 114,for reasons described in more detail in reference to FIG. 3B. Filter 310is a consumable non-woven filter or electrostatic cloth that ispreferably slightly sticky to capture debris.

FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of mechanical SSR device 300, whichshows that mechanical SSR device 300 further includes a body 312 formedof a rigid lightweight material, such as molded plastic, that houses fanassembly 110, flapper assembly 114, and battery assembly 116. Moldedwithin body 312 is a handle 314, an opening in that lower region of body312 forms an inlet 316 at which filter 310 is mounted. Additionally, adisplacement chamber 318 is formed from inlet 316 of mechanical SSRdevice 300 and leads to fan assembly 110. Displacement chamber 318 isbounded on two sides by the inner walls of body 312, on an upper sidenear disks 146 by an airflow guide 320, and on a lower side by anairflow guide 322, which are formed of, for example, molded plastic.

In this embodiment, filter 310 is located at the outside of inlet 316,in order to facilitate easier access for removal and replacement.Furthermore, this configuration greatly limits any dust and hair fromentering mechanical SSR device 300 and reaching fan motor 120 andflapper motor 154, which reduces the possibility of failure. However,because there is no collection tray 132 within mechanical SSR device300, this embodiment is less suited for picking up large or heavyparticles and more suited for removing fine particles and hair. Morespecifically, the media forming filter 310 is slightly sticky and, thus,acts like a piece of tape on a soft surface, to attract and hold thedust and hair. Flappers 140 make contact with the surface of filter 310opposite the soft surface to be cleaned. The slapping action of flapperassembly 114 enhances the cleaning operation, in order to pick up hairthat is entangled within the fibers of the soft surface to be cleaned.

The general operation of mechanical SSR device 300 is similar to thatdescribed in reference to mechanical SSR device 100 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and1C. Additionally, the method of performing soft-surface remediationusing mechanical SSR device 300 of the present invention is similar tothat described in reference to method 200 of FIG. 2. In both cases,mechanical SSR device 300 differs only in the placement and handling ofthe filter mechanism and the absence of collection tray 132.

In summary and with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3A and 3B,mechanical SSR device 100 and 300 of the present invention effectivelyperform soft-surface remediation in a non-destructive manner via flapperassembly 114 and fan assembly 110; are low-powered and light-weight,have a large pickup area (i.e., inlet 174 and inlet 316, respectively)for providing a faster cleaning operation, provide chemical deliverymechanism 180 for freshening, disinfection, or assisting in the removalof contaminants; and provides an easy-to-use, convenient mechanism thatencourages consumers to perform touchup cleaning events more frequently.

In one embodiment, the catch mechanism 130 or consumable non-wovenfilter, electrostatic cloth or other such material is preferablypositioned in close proximity to the fan 110. Such a disposal mechanismor catch 130 may be a variety of shapes, including, but not limited to,a J-ring, a donut, or a slightly convex or concave cup. The filter maybe supported by a plastic or cardboard ring, frame, or housing. Inanother example, disposal catch mechanism 130 is a Grab-It® Cloth fromS.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. (Racine, Wis.) or a Swiffer® Cloth from Procter& Gamble (Cincinnati, Ohio). In yet another example, disposal catchmechanism may be located on or in the tray 132 and may be a non-wovenmaterial, a gel, or some sticky substance that will act to trap and holdparticulate matter within the air.

In another embodiment, the flappers 140 themselves may be alsoimpregnated with an active material or ingredient to provide sanitation,such as, odor removal, odor neutralization, or dust mite control, to thesoft surface to be cleaned. An example active ingredient for providingsanitation and that has suitably small particles that do not saturatethe fabric is triethylene glycol (TEG). An example active ingredient forproviding odor neutralization is also triethylene glycol (as found inOust® from S.C. Johnson & Son). An example active ingredient forproviding odor removal is cyclodextrin (as found in Febreze® fromProcter & Gamble). Alternatively, this material may be added through thedelivery system.

As mentioned, the fluid or chemical material consumable 182 may includea variety of materials, e.g., cleaners, odor eliminators, fresheners,protectants, and disinfectants all of which may be in the form ofliquids, gases, solids, gels and/or powders or combinations thereof.This chemistry is suitable to remediate hard and soft surfaces such as apillow, mattress, carpet, car interior, drape, window, floor, plumbingdrain, insect habitat, and/or couch.

Additionally, any active material or ingredient may be delivered to thesurface being treated by the delivery system 180 which may also includea reservoir or other system that is externally or internally mounted tothe unit, and which may include a trigger spray, pump spray, canister,fluid cavity, aerosol, or similar means. Alternatively, the material maybe a foam cleaner (contained e.g., in a canister) which after beingfirst set down by an outward flow is then picked up by the device. Thefoam may be activated by a variety of means as is known in the art,e.g., chemical reaction, surfactants, agitators, a dual bottle system,OXYCLEAN, etc.

Materials that both protect and renew also may be added to the fluidstream. These materials can rejuvenate the fibers of the soft surfaceand coat them to become more dirt resistant and water resistant in thefuture. For example, various compositions made by DuPont and 3M areknown to make fabric water and/or stain resistant, such as SCOTCHGUARD™.These materials may also include compositions comprised of a dispersantand/or microcapsules containing an active material.

Because of it configuration, this device 100 may be used not only forsoft surface cleaning but with minor modification to deliver materialthat includes an insecticide, repellant, herbicide, fungicide,antimicrobial, floor cleaner, window cleaner, drain cleaner, airfreshening, etc. A long, extendable, preferably telescoping, handleallows the user to reach certain surfaces and/or provide distancebetween the user and the material treating the surface duringapplication. In some instances, the motor is preferably impervious towater so that the device can be used in areas where these types ofliquids are used.

In yet another embodiment, the handle may not be present. Thisembodiment would be configured to fit into the palm of the user's handfor ease of use in touch-up cleaning particular in areas where is thereis not much space.

Other embodiments of the present invention may have protrusionsprojecting from the slapper or for the bottom of the housing. Theseprotrusions or teeth may be used to grab on and lift up what is on thesurface, e.g., pet hair, paper, or even some other electro-staticallybound matter. Alternatively, the teeth may be part of a rake, brush, orthey may not resemble teeth at all but rather just a soft, spongy pieceof material. The teeth may be more rounded to be more like fingers andmay be made of plastic, rubber, or some equally stiff yet somewhatflexible material so as not to damage the surface. Inner housing andmotor housing are substantially cylindrical shaped and are formed of arigid lightweight material, such as molded plastic or aluminum.

Although the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out thepresent invention is disclosed above, practice of the present inventionis not limited thereto. It will be manifest that various additions,modifications and rearrangements of the features of the presentinvention may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of theunderlying inventive concept. In addition, the individual componentsneed not be fabricated from the disclosed materials, but could befabricated from virtually any suitable materials. Moreover, theindividual components need not be formed in the disclosed shapes, orassembled in the disclosed configuration, but could be provided invirtually any shape, and assembled in virtually any configuration.Further, although many components are described herein as physicallyseparate modules, it will be manifest that they may be integrated intothe apparatus with which they are associated. Furthermore, all thedisclosed features of each disclosed embodiment can be combined with, orsubstituted for, the disclosed features of every other disclosedembodiment except where such features are mutually exclusive.

It is intended that the appended claims cover all such additions,modifications and rearrangements. Expedient embodiments of the presentinvention are differentiated by the appended claims.

1. A method of cleaning a soft surface comprising the steps of:mechanically dislodging and displacing of particulates from a softsurface with a handheld device having a slapper; disposing of theparticulates through use of filter in the device; and disinfecting andfreshening the surface with a sprayer containing connected to thehandheld device.
 2. A handheld mechanical soft-surface remediationdevice comprising a housing; a fan assembly within the housing; a filterassembly in fluid communication with the fan assembly; a flapperassembly within the housing; a battery assembly adjacent the housing;and a delivery system operably connected to the housing.
 3. A method ofperforming soft-surface remediation by use of the mechanical devicecomprising the steps of: retrieving the device from storage; installingthe consumables into the device, activating the device; performing thecleaning operation with a flapper; deactivating the device;automatically activating chemical delivery system without direct useractivation; removing the consumables from the device; preparing thedevice for the next use; storing the device; and recharging thebatteries of the device.
 4. A handheld device comprising: a light-weighthousing including a large pickup area; a motor operably associated withthe housing; a dislodging mechanism driven by the motor for effectivelyperforming soft-surface remediation in a non-destructive manner; and ameans to introduce a cleaner onto a soft surface.
 5. A cleaning devicecomprising: a housing; an ingredient delivery mechanism operablyassociated with the housing for freshening, disinfection; a flapperassembly in the housing; and a catch within the housing for the removalof contaminants.
 6. A method of performing soft-surface remediationincluding the steps of: retrieving from storage from a battery chargingposition a cleaning device having a body, an inlet, a displacementchamber, exhaust ports and a handle; installing a consumable into thedevice by opening a filter access mechanism within the body andinstalling a new or cleaned filter; opening a supply access mechanismwithin handle of body and inserting a new chemical supply; closing atleast one access mechanism; grasping a handle and bringing inlet of thedevice into contact with a soft surface to be cleaned; activating a fanmotor to rotate a fan blade and create a flow of air by drawing air intothe inlet in body, through the displacement chamber, through filter,past a fan assembly, and out the exhaust ports at the rear of body;imparting motion to flapper motor to rotate a shaft via a pulley andbelt; rotating disks operably attached to the shaft to cause flappers tomove up and down; slapping the flapper assembly on a surface to dislodgeparticulates; moving inlet of device over the soft surface to be cleanedby using a back-and-forth or side-to-side motion; cleaning a surface bythe action of flapper assembly and fan assembly; displacing theparticulates by a suction fan assembly to create an airflow movingthrough displacement chamber; moving the particulates toward a filter;capturing the particulates by a filtering action of filter; using aspray pump; activating a chemical delivery system to freshen ordisinfect the surface; deactivating the device by an on/off switch tostop fan motor and flapper motor; opening the access mechanism for thefilter within body to remove the dirty filter; opening the supply accessmechanism within handle of body to remove the chemical supply andrecharge the supply; preparing the device for a next use; closing allaccess mechanisms; and returning the device to its storage location. 7.The device of claim 2, wherein the fan assembly includes a fan motor anda fan blade, wherein the fan motor includes one of a single-speed ormulti-speed AC or DC motor, wherein the fan assembly is capable ofdeveloping a suction pressure of −0.15 to −0.66 pounds per square inch,wherein the filter assembly includes a filter and a collection tray,wherein the filter assembly includes a consumable non-woven portion orelectrostatic cloth positioned in close proximity to fan blade.
 8. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein the filter is at least one of a standard meshhigh efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or HAF filter.
 9. Thedevice of claim 2, further comprising a collection tray positioned neara lower region of a filter in the filter assembly in order to captureparticles that will not lodge within filter.
 10. The device of claim 2,wherein the filter assembly comprising a filter and a collection traythat are mechanically integrated for ease of access by a user.
 11. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein the flapper assembly includes a set offlappers that are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart toensure a small air gap therebetween.
 12. The device of claim 2, whereinthe flapper assembly includes a plurality of flappers that are formed ofa rigid lightweight material and include a plurality of holes.
 13. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein the flapper assembly includes flappers formedof spring steel; a disk mechanically coupled to a flapper via an arm; apulley mounted at one end of a shaft and driven by a flapper motor via astandard belt; and a flapper motor that is at least one of a DC motor,an AC motor, a single-speed motor, and a multi-speed motor.
 14. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein the flapper assembly includes a flapper thatis a solid piece of material that has no holes; the flappers areattached at one end to a spring-loaded flapper hinge; the flapper hingeis mechanically attached in close proximity to the filter assembly; thehinge provides a pivot point for the flapper; the spring-loaded hingeprovides an appropriate spring force; the flapper assembly includes aset of disks that are arranged along a shaft; and the flapper disks areoriented orthogonal to the flappers and are mechanically coupled toflappers via a set of arms.
 15. The device of claim 2, wherein whenactivated, a flapper motor imparts rotational motion to a shaft and,subsequently, to disks.
 16. The device of claim 2, wherein the flapperassembly includes a plurality of disks, and wherein each disk has one ormore notches into which a curved end of an arm is alternately engagedand disengaged as each disk rotates.
 17. The device of claim 2, whereinthe flapper assembly includes a plurality of disks are mounted on ashaft such that the notches are in alignment one to another, and whereinat least one disk is mounted on shaft such that its notches are 90degrees out of phase with those of the other disks.
 18. The device ofclaim 2, further comprising a displacement chamber bounded on two sidesby inner walls of a housing body and, on an upper side near disks by anairflow guide.
 19. The device of claim 2, wherein the delivery systemincludes a chemical supply fluidly connected to a spray pump mountedwithin a handle in the housing; wherein the flapper assembly includes aflapper that slaps against a soft surface to be cleaned and dislodgesparticles of contaminants within its fibers in a non-destructive manner.20. The device of claim 5, further including a piston mechanism arrangedorthogonally to a plane of an inlet; wherein the piston mechanism isdriven to impart an up and down motion to a flat paddle element that isoriented parallel to the plane of inlet for producing a slapping motionupon the soft surface to be remediated.